St John's Eve

The St. John's (also St. John, John's Day ), the anniversary of the birth of John the Baptist on June 24. He is closely linked to be held on June 21, the summer solstice. St. John's Night is the night of St. John, from 23 to 24 June.

Related is also the day of celebrations in connection with the summer solstice and customs, such as the bonfire, as well as Lostag connection with proverbs.

Origin

The date was in accordance with a specification of the Gospel of Luke ( 1:26-38 LUT) from the liturgical date of the birth of Jesus forth calculated, namely three months after the Annunciation and six months before Christmas: in the church year, this resulted in very appropriately the (ancient ) Date summer solstice (22 ~ 24 June) and the winter solstice (December 25 ). Rise to this reference was the longest to the shortest day of the year the Baptist saying in regard to the coming of Christ: "He must increase, but I must decrease. " ( John 3:30 LUT) Jesus Christ, his mother Mary and John the Baptist are the only three people whose birthdays are celebrated by the Roman Church and celebrated as the Solemnity; the observances of the other saints are usually their death days.

Liturgy for St. John's

The Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of St. John's as the birth of John the Baptist. The date can also be found in the calendar of other churches, such as the Evangelical Worship Book.

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote for the St. John the cantatas Christ our Lord came to the Jordan ( BWV 7), Rejoice, redeemed host ( BWV 30 ) and your people, praise ye, God's love ( BWV 167).

The Midsummer is also celebrated by the Order of Malta and its Protestant counterpart, the Order of St. John, referring to John the Baptist.

On St. John there is the evangelical tradition to invite to prayer at the cemetery, especially in Saxony.

Customs / Midsummer celebrations

A distinctive tradition has developed around this holiday.

Bonfires

Among the customs counted in the Midsummer Night dance around a bonfire. The locust or Würzfeuer have a link with the symbolism of fire and sun as well as the solstice. Therefore, the fire itself is also referred to as solar fire or bonfires. It is since the 12th century for the first time since the 14th century then often occupied custom. The fire is lit in the night before Midsummer.

Especially on mountains it is an ancient symbol for the sun and thus for Christ. Even John himself has to do with fire, because he is regarded by the prophet Malachi as the forerunner of Jesus ( 3:1-2 time LUT).

John said that Christ would baptize with "Fire and Spirit" ( Matthew 3:11 LUT). The heights or mountain symbolism is in the so-called hymn of Zacharias, father of John ( Lk 1.76 to 78 LUT).

To popular belief according to ward off a bonfire evil demons that cause disease or cause livestock damage and misswüchsige children. This is suggested by the straw dolls that you in some parts thrown into the fire ( burning Hansel ). In particular, hail damage should be resisted. In this respect, a bonfire with the hail fire covers. These effects of locust fire are probably in the high popularity of the saint founded, the otherwise strong forces were awarded; to compare the exceptionally strong popular medieval name Hans, Johannes Jan or Jean. Medieval Naming often meant that the child, the corresponding saint was appropriated as the patron saint.

The bonfires are found in various design almost spread throughout Europe. The southern summer solstice with bonfires has long been in Alicante, today it is in Torrevieja.

The bonfire at some places used spinning wheel is interpreted as the sun. A relationship could also exist with the emergency or Nodfeuer whose history is largely comparable.

Locust crown

St. John's crown is woven out of twigs and leaves and then decorated with flowers, ribbons, roses from tissue paper and eggs with cords. It was formerly the custom to hang this summer crown on the village square, in the evening it was lit with candles and it was danced as many nights as the crown retained their green foliage.

Locust Festivals

• In the Upper Harz green pines are decorated with meadow flowers and eggs chains set up in the streets. The children and young people move from tree to tree through the streets. There are coffee, cocoa and cake. They dance to popular ways to the Johannibaum. Again and again the song " Tripp Trapp cheese Napp, today is Midsummer Day " is heard. In the evening there is a common festival of adults. In the past, individual neighbors have met in the streets and celebrated cozy.
• In Eschwege (Hessen) Midsummer festival is celebrated for five days usually on the first weekend in July. This varies, however, as the appointment is also oriented to the Hessian school holidays, because participating in the schools of the city at that time to feast on. Here, the procession is led by Dieterich man who Eschweger symbolic figure.
• In Mainz, the Midsummer Eve is celebrated at this time.
• In Mark village celebrate children after the Angelus on June 24 at noon the only existing there custom of Hansafüratle
• In and around Ehrwald the mountains southwest of the Zugspitze is used around the basin to make under the traditional midsummer fire through the laying of great figures in thousands of incendiary devices to a spectacular experience. This mountain fire Ehrwald is a UNESCO Heritage Site.
• On 24 June ( Midsummer Day Baptista ) alternated in the city-state of Zurich respectively, the mayor and the councilors. The upper bailiwicks and administrative territories had their official change on that day.
• In Scandinavia, Finland and the Baltic States locust celebrations are very common; in Lithuania is Jonines, Latvia Jāņi, in Estonia and in Finland Jaanipäev " Juhannus " ( celebrated on Saturday between 20 and 26 June ), the most popular holiday ever. An exception is Sweden, where instead of the locust Midsummer Festival is celebrated. St. John's Night is, in the Faroe Islands Jóansøka. During the weekend of June 24 there are on the island since 1925 Suðuroy a people, sports and music festival.
• Midsummer Day in Québec: Since 1834 the St John's is committed by the French Canadians as a national holiday. Pope Pius X declared in 1908 John the Baptist, the patron saint of French-Canadians. Since 1977 the St John's in the province of Québec is a non-working national holiday.
• In Brazil, especially in the Northeast, the festival is celebrated as São João. Centers of this second most important festival after Carnival is primarily the cities Caruaru in Pernambuco and Campina Grande in Paraíba. Since the festival coincides with the corn harvest, many corn dishes (cakes, puddings, soups, and corn on the cob, which are grilled over the bonfires ) are eaten. The rich cultural performances are dominated by the dance forró and Pastoril. The women wear to São João most colorful, long dresses, the men's plaid shirts and straw hats.
• At the Freemasons, the feast of Saint John is a central point where the course of the year ends and begins.

The St. John's as Lostag

Midsummer is as Lostag in the tradition of agriculture and weather of central importance. The summer solstice is derived mostly with the end of the harvest season, a cold sheep.

Indicator plants and animals of the phenology are therefore traditionally named after that day:

• St. John's Wort because it blooms to the appointment.
• Currants reached maturity.
• The swarms of locust beetles ( fireflies ) develop their luminosity in the time around the St. John's Eve.
• Johanninüsse, green, unripe walnuts, which are to reap the beginning of summer

The carob tree, however, has possibly something the Baptist, but nothing to do with John with the St. John's.

Forage grasses are already ripe, and summer corn and many other crops are now starting their maturity period. Traditionally, also rhubarb and asparagus are harvested up to this day.

Midsummer is therefore regarded as the latest date in bad climatic regions - on the coast of Northern Germany and the Alps - for hay, but also as a guarantee of good weather. The term was coined Johannischnitt.

"Before the St. John's one does not praise Gerst and oats. "

" When the locust worms shine, You are allowed align your scythes. "

The late mowing impressed with the diversity of the European cultural landscape, as most grassland plants is given time to auszusamen and also the ground -nesting birds of the birds and many other animals, such as insects and spiders, more time for their successful propagating is left.

Johannis was also an indicator of potential crop problems. A delayed development of the animals is usually associated with bad weather and therefore with crop failures.

" The cuckoo announces famine, when he cries after Midsummer. "

The progress of agriculture and the associated intensification, especially the advertising of silage, postponed the date of mowing always forward. Therefore, the Johannischnitt applies in conservation as a favorable date for the mowing of meadows and is often placed in the care of semi-natural meadows.

Even in orchards of date plays a role: the locust drive is the second expulsion of deciduous trees by midsummer. Here can be set once -cutting measures. Locust instinct is to also in the peasant tradition of - mocking - " St. John's sprout " when an older man takes a young woman (the " Second Spring" ).

Add the asparagus the last asparagus is crisp in Germany in many regions on that day.